As the official newsletter of the Mid-South Chapter, The Mid-South Flyer was first published in March, 2009 as the Mid-South News Bulletin as a bi-monthly publication. The newsletter reports current chapter activities and features regular columns and articles on a variety of historical and contemporary railroad subjects pertaining to the Mid-South region of Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, west Georgia and northwest Florida. The newsletter's long-time editor through 2018 was Mid-South Chapter founder Marvin Clemons; from 2019 through 2022 the Flyer was edited by Ken Boyd.

As of January 2023, the 2022 November-December issue was the last one issued. Future plans for the Flyer are undetermined.

Issues will be made available here one year after publication.


Available Issues

2022 January - February
2021 National Annual Meeting Report / Richard Morris · Member Moment: Hoosier in Manhatten / Scott Evenbeck · Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum · Aldridge Gardens: A Regional Day Trip on Your Own / Ken Boyd · Timothy Hackworth, Historic English Locomotive Engineer and Designer / Ken Boyd · The Leeds Depot on a Lonely Winter Afternoon
March - April
Chapter News/Update / James Lowery · Member Moment: A Late Arriver to Railroading and Railroad History / James Lowery · Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum · A Regional Day Trip on Your Own: Metal Art Image of Birmingham Terminal Station Near the New Amtrak Station · Memories of Woodlawn Junction / text and photos by Marvin Clemons
May-June
Chapter News · Chapter Annual Report 2021-2022 / James Lowery, President · Member Moment: Why Trains? / Tim Smith · Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum · Alabama Railroad History / Andrew "Andy" Jackson Beard (reprint) · A Regional Day Trip on Your Own: The Fairfax Depot - Valley, Alabama [from the Encyclopedia of Alabama] · Those Incredible Snow Plows! / text and photos by Ken Boyd
July-August
Chapter News · R&LHS 2022 Convention - Rochester Rails / Richard Morris · Member Moment: Growing Up Between the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Reading Railroad / Ken Mosby · MSC Meeting: Southern Vintage Fire Apparatus Association, June 18, 2022 · Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum · A Regional Day Trip on Your Own: The JSTOR Online Database and the R&LHS / Ken Boyd · Some of Birmingham's Railroad History in America's Rainbow Viaduct Surround / John Troulias
September-October
Chapter News · Member Moment: Mid-South Welcomes DiDomizio as a New Member / John DiDomizio · A "Rails" Discovery in Birmingham / James and Peggy Lowery · Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum · A Regional Day Trip on Your Own: Tons of Trains for All Ages! : Places to go in Alabama if You Love Trains · The Flight of the Redbirds / Marvin Clemons
November-December
Chapter News · The Mid-South Flyer / Ken Boyd · Member Moment: A Lifetime of Railroading / Alan Maples · Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum · A Regional Day Trip on Your Own: Stevenson Depot and Hotel Museum · The Local Workhorses of the National Railroad Network / Warren T. Jones, Sr.
2021 January
A New Colorful Look at Old Railroad Photos / Tom Alderman · Chapter News/Update · Remembrance Honoring Ralph Honeycutt / Contributed by Marvin Clemons · Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum · Lynnville Railroad Museum: A Regional Day Trip on Your Own / Ken Boyd · Member Moment: It Started with the Sunset Limited / Bob Greene · The Marco Polo and Other Historic Private Railcars / Warren Jones
March
Historic Watermills of North America / presented by Ken Boyd · Chapter News/Update · Member Moment: Still Adding to Fond Memories / George and Jeannie Wearn · Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum · Operations and Practices of Trains and Railroads: The Roman Empire, Gauge Wars and Modern Rail Spacing! / Ken Boyd · A Regional Day Trip on Your Own: Train Watching from the Historic Downtown Birmingham Viaduct / Ken Boyd
May
Picnic at Kymulga Grist Mill · Chapter News/Update · Member Moment: One never knows where a walk will lead / Gregg Danielson · Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum · The Old Depot at Selma, Alabama, A Regional Day Trip on Your Own / Ken Boyd · Train Travel, Trial, then Triumph : Did This 19th Century Train Trip Become the Catalyst for the Building of a Football Powerhouse? / John Troulias
July
Mid-South Chapter Annual Report · Member Moment: Karen R. Utz, Director, Sloss Furnaces Historic Landmark · Brief History of the Mid-South Chapter, R&LHS / Marvin Clemons · Report of Mid-South Chapter Picnic and Grist Mill Tour / James Lowery ; photographs by Ken Boyd · Heart of Dixie Museum Report · Old Town Helena, Alabama /James Lowery · Light Painting Photography for Locomotives / Ken Boyd
September
Terminal Station Exhibit Expands · Member Moment: Confessions of a Railfan Heretic / Lamont Downs · Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum · A Regional Day Trip on Your Own: Historic Park at Ross Bridge / Ken Boyd · The "Man o' War" Makes a Comeback / Marvin Clemons
November
Chapter Update · Member Moment: From Big Trains to Little Trains and Everything in Between / Carey Ketchum · Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum · Shoals Model Railroaders : a Regional Day Trip on Your Own · Model Railroading and Railroad History / John Stewart
2020 January
Heart of Dixie Museum Report · Mid-South Chapter Annual Report · Member Moment: John Troulias · Docena Mining Camp--A Century Ahead of Time, Yet Too Late by John Troulias · A Short Introduction to Advanced Train Control Systems (ATCS)
March
Rail Pessenger Service in the U.S. by Robert Stewart · Return from Antartica · Heart of Dixie Museum Report · Member Moment: John Browning · Alabama Rail Archives by David Coombs · Art of the Locomotive: The Crampton-Type Locomotive by Ken Boyd · Common American Steam Locomotive Wheel Arrangements
May
Trains and the Covid-19 pandemic by Warren Jones · A Killer in Grand Central Terminal · Chapter Update · Heart of Dixie Museum Report · Cowan Railroad Museum by Ken Boyd · Member Moment: The End of Caboose no. 1 by Pittman Owen · Art of the Locomotive: The Royal Hudson and Southern Railway no. 2839 by Ken Boyd
July
Chapter Update · Heart of Dixie Museum Report · Train Watching in Greene County by Ken Boyd · Member Moment: Nicholas Costa · Without the Railroads None of This Would Have Been Possible by James Lowery
September
Heart of Dixie Museum Report · Trainspotting and Watching in Northwestern Alabama and Northeastern Mississippi by David Hurt · Member Moment: Dori Boyd and the Napa Valley Wine Train · A Story About a King Cotton Trip by David Hurt · The Luraville Locomotive--the "Suwannee River Locomotive" by Ken Boyd
November
Heart of Dixie Museum Report · Historic Railroad Operating Practices and Equipment: Train Order Offices by Marvin Clemons · Montgomery Union Station and RiverFront: A regional Day Trip on Your Own by Ken Boyd · Member Moment: TRAINS, TRAINS, TRAINS! by Stan Sims · Historic Thomas Furnaces: Preserved Republic Steel Locomotives by Ken Boyd · The Frisco 4018 Move: The Rest of the Story by E.W. Stevenson with Terry Oden
2019 January
Donnie Strickland Remembrance · Vulcan Park Terminal Station Exhibit · Sumter and Choctaw Railway No. 102 by Ken Boyd · One Day at Birmingham, Ala. by J. David Ingles (reprinted from Classic Trains)
March
Buster Keaton's The General · Special Recognition for Marvin Clemons; Tribute to Lamont Downs & Pat Honsa · Alabama Fuel and Iron Company, Part II--Acton Mines by John Stewart · Dramatic Birmingham Train Robbery (reprinted from Alabama Pioneers)
May
The Transcontinental Railroad · Construction of the New [Model] Birmingham Terminal Station · Norfolk & Western No. 1218 at the Spectacular Leeds Trestle by Ken Boyd · Alabama Fuel and Iron Company, Part III--Overton Mines by John Stewart
July
Underground Birmingham · New Birmingham Terminal Station Exhibit at Vulcan Park & Museum · Transcontinental Railroad Postage Stamps for Collectors · Why the Big Boy 4014 is Such a Bad Train
September
John Henry Celebration & Leeds Fall Festival · Program: Seaboard Air Line Passenger Service with Larry Goolsby · Member Moment: Eddie Cook · Alabama Fuel and Iron Company, Part IV--Margaret, Acmar and Colgate Mines by John Stewart
November
Member Moment: Harold (Glen) and Sherry Kitts · Frisco 4018 Locomotive / Richard Neely, Ph.D. · Alabama Fuel and Iron Company, Part V--Margaret, Acmar and Colgate Mines by John Stewart
2018 January
Presentation: Larry Goolsby on the AB&C · Long Day on a Local · How to Use ... and Abuse ... an Alco S-2 · Bessemer's Railroads
March
Presentation: Tom Lawson on "My Life with Locomotives" · Gavin Turner, Railroad Photographer · Carl Ardrey on "Flaggin' on no. 1" · "Catfish," The Only Ingalls Locomotive
Summer
Presentation: Music of Sloss Furnaces · Lyle Key on "Watching trains and streetcars from Granny's front porch" · R&LHS National Convention Report · "The Last Circle Trip" by Marvin Clemons · 1960s Birmingham in Black & White: photo album by Bill McCoy
September
Presentation: Mississippi Rails archivist David Price · New Depot Deck · A glass of lemonade with Mr. Dillard by Marvin Clemons · Last Steam on the Alabama Central by Tom Lawson · 1950s Birmingham in Black & White: photo album by Matt Lawson
November
Presentation: Ken Boyd's Locomotive Photography · North Alabama Train Depot Trail · Alabama Fuel and Iron Company by John Stewart · Pullman Company in Birmingham · Frisco Memories at Memphis by Phil Gosney
2017 Winter
Presentation: Santa Fe through Arizona · Honoring Larry Kelpke · Stevenson Depot · Birmingham Belt, Part 3 · Victorian Internet · Railroad Rule Books
Spring
Presentation: Warren Jones on Gainesville Midland #301 · In Memoriam Robert "Bob" Smith · Bygone Days on Bessemer's Railroads · Last decade of Passenger Rail Service before Amtrak · Quick Reference Alabama Rail Map
Summer
Presentation: Glenn Wills on "Forgotten Alabama" · Southern Railway Finley Roundhouse · Lyle Key on Railway express · Seaboard's Birmingham Subdivision · Stan Burnett on a 1965 Weekend Round Trip by Rail
Fall
Presentation: Knox Kershaw · Two Tracks, or Not Two Tracks: Louisville & Nashville through Birmingham · Tweetsie Railroad · Kansas City-Florida Special
2016 Winter
Presentation: Birmingham Terminal Station · Preserving the Texas · Stevenson Depot · Birmingham Belt, Part 1 · Virtual Model Railroading, Part 2
Spring
Frank Ardrey in Color · Center for Railroad Photography and Art · Historic Decatur Depot · Birmingham Belt, Part 2 · 'Dixie' 4-8-4 Restoration
Summer
Billy Thomason Signal Collection · David Lester on 1976 · Birmingham Belt, Part 3 · Report from Moscow, Idaho (R&LHS Convention) · In Memorium Mick Nussbaum
Fall
Historic Birmingham Mineral Railroad Signs Project · Brown Ore for Birmingham · A Visit to Cass · Remembering Jim McClellan
2015 Winter
Chapter projects · Lester on Amtrak · Red Gap Branch (Irondale to Greensprings Highway)
Spring
Ken Boyd, digital photography and locomotive "art" · Woodward Iron Company and Vance, Alabama · 611 excursion itinerary
Summer
Woodward Iron Company presentation · R&LHS Altoona convention report · Dynamic braking · Thoughts on the Pan American · L&N Depot Museum in Foley
Fall
Presentation: Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History and Birmingham Rail & Locomotive, Inc. · Great Temple of Travel (Marvin Clemons) set for January Publication · Reminiscing about Frank E. Ardrey · Coal and the Railroads · Virtual Model Railroading, Part 1
2014 January-February
Jack Ferris and company · Atlanta Terminal Station · RR history and model railroading (pt.4) · Lyle Key on riding Amtrak (pt.1)
March-April
Tom Lawson book signing announced · Restoration projects · Birmingham Mineral Railroad historic signs project · Birmingham RR grade separation project (pt.1) · Mid-South Chapter Web site · Lyle Key on riding Amtrak (pt.2)
May-June
Alabama Railfan Conference announced · Atlanta Union Station · Birmingham RR grade separation project (pt.2) · Named passenger cars
July-August
Birmingham Mineral Railroad · Birmingham RR grade separation project (pt.3) · 21st Century heritage steam
September-October
State of the RR hobby (pt.1) · Birmingham Mineral Railroad signs project report · Atlanta Railroad Prototype Modelers meeting · Warrior Mineral RR
November-December
State of the RR hobby (pt.2) · Bessemer Pullman-Standard Plant · Warrior River/"Lost" Ensley Southern Bridge
2013 January
Birmingham streetcars · Year in review · Atlanta's Peachtree Station
March
Central of Georgia RHS to meet at Leeds · Railfanning in Japan · Winburn, AL operations · Early Southern Railway steam excursions
May
Central of Georgia RHS Leeds report · Southern Railway's Northern Alabama RR (pt. 1) · Review of Steam Whistles in the Piney Woods
July
611 returning to excursion service · RR history and model railroading (pt.1) · Logging railroads in the US (pt.1)
September
21st Century Steam in Birmingham · John Henry Celebration · Photo calendar winners · RR history and model railroading (pt.2) · Logging railroads in the US (pt.2) · Southern Railway's Northern Alabama RR (pt. 2)
November
Eric McFerrin · Logging railroads in the US (pt.3) · RR history and model railroading (pt.3)
2012 March
Shane Boatwright · Norfolk Southern announces "heritage" locomotives program · Woodward Iron Company
Summer
Dr. Carl Marbury · Shane Boatwright presentation · Birmingham convention report
December
ATCS monitor installed in Depot agent's office · Kennesaw excursion report
2011 March
Birmingham convention announcement · Membership meeting report · A Telegrapher's story
May
Birmingham Southern · Cane Creek Branch farewell (pt. 1) · A day at the Depot
Summer
Birmingham convention plans · Mid-South Chapter news and views · Cane Creek Branch farewell (pt. 2)
December
Registration opens for Birmingham convention · Sloss Furnace and the founding of Birmingham · Frank Ardrey obituary · Leeds Depot artwork unveiled
2010 January
Frisco no. 4018 relocation report · MSC Board report
March
BNSF safety programs · Membership meeting report · David Salter in memoriam
May
Alabama Mineral · Birmingham Mineral's Red Mountain Lines
September
Veteran railroaders share memories · Norfolk Southern and Tennessee Valley RR Museum announce steam excursions for 2011
December
Operator's desk for Leeds Depot · Oneonta's L&N depot site receives marker · TA&G Railway program · Mid-South Chapter photo album
2009 March
Red Mountain presentation · Depot workgroup · Birmingham rail show
May
Central of Georgia program · Depot office restoration · Local Internet newsgroup
September
Leeds Depot open house · New operator's desk · July cookout photos
November
Frisco no. 4018 relocation · Ron Mele profile · Open house photos · Exhibit room proposal

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